


Matters of the Heart

by Laitie



Category: Frozen (2013), Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-25
Updated: 2017-08-06
Packaged: 2018-10-23 22:40:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10728747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laitie/pseuds/Laitie





	1. Chapter 1

"Elsa, will you marry me?" Elsa gazed down in awe at the silver ring with blue topaz stones encircling a sapphire. Her potential fiancee had one knee on the stone floor of the Queen's sitting room, holding up the ring and watching her face closely. Hopefully. Around them stood at least half a dozen plush, light blue couches and armchairs. The windows allowed in the Fall sun, letting it shine on the two. They were surrounded by tapestries depicting beautiful winter scenes and the royal family.

Elsa stood there with her hand on her chest, at a loss for words. They remained like this, still as statues, for several minutes.

"Oh, Pierre," she breathed. The fourth son of the King of France let out a breath as she spoke. "You can't...Do you really mean this?"

"Of course," Pierre said, his brown eyes dancing. "I want you, Elsa. All of you. From your hair to your toes. Your love and your family, even your powers. We'll make a great husband and wife."

Elsa let out a breath. She did very much like Pierre. She liked him the moment he stepped off the ship and fell into the lake six months ago. He had stayed since, enjoying himself far too much to go home. But did she love him? The way Anna and Kristoff loved each other? Then she remembered, she was a Queen. Love was not an option. Arendelle needed this alliance with the French to protect them from Russia's invading forces. The fact that she enjoyed Pierre's company was just a plus.

"Yes," she said with a smile. "I will." Pierre beamed and stood, reaching out the place the ring on her finger.

"We'll have a lovely winter wedding," Pierre announced. "Right here in Arendelle. The entire French court will come." On and on he went about his plans for their wedding while Elsa chuckled at him.

Outside the window that was beginning to frost, the Guardian of Fun watched the scene, hsi heart breaking.

"Aunt Elsa!" Little Birgitta cheered and ran up to the Queen excitedly, hugging her around the knees. Elsa chuckled and hugged the girl back, picking her up in her arms.

"Hello, Birgitta," she said.

"Hi, Aunt Elsa," Gustav said shyly, sitting in his father's arms as he approached her, Anna holding baby Inge by his side.

"Hello, Gustav," Elsa said, brushing the boy's hair out of his eyes. Kristoff sat on one of the couches in the sitting room, this one belonging to him an Anna. It looked just like Elsa's, but in green instead of blue. He rested Gustav on his lap.

"Elsa!" Anna said excitedly, jumping up and down slightly. "You're getting married!"

The older sister chuckled again. "Yes, I am."

"This is so exciting! We'll have so much food and the castle will be full of people! Dancing and feasting and talking and meeting people!"

Elsa grinned. "I know, Anna. It's very exciting."

"Where's Pierre, now?" Kristoff asked. Gustav slipped off his father's lap and pulled Birgitta from Elsa's. Kristoff watched the two as they went to inspect the outside.

"He's gone back to France to announce the engagement."

"How long will they be?" Anna asked, bouncing the baby on her lap.

"Papa, can we go outside?" Gustav asked.

"No, son," Kristoff called. "It's going to be bedtime soon."

"A month or two," Elsa estimated how long Pierre's trip to and from Arendelle would take. "He said the French court is rather large."

"A month or two!? That's far too long!" Inge whined and Anna let the baby on the ground so she could join her brother and sister playing peek-a-boo with the tapestry depicting Kristoff working with ice.

Elsa chuckled. "Well that gives us plenty of time to plan the wedding. He wants to wed as soon as everyone gets here."

"Do you?" Kristoff asked. The room went silent.

"Of course I do," Elsa said after a moment. "I said 'yes,' didn't I?"

"But do you love him?"

Elsa sighed. "Yes," she said. How could she explain to these two lovebirds the responsibility on her shoulders? Especially without mentioning how Anna's marriage to Kristoff, a-well, let's be honest-peasant, made things that much harder for her? True, there were their children, but she wouldn't ask Anna to have her children marry for politics instead of love. No, that should be her own children. When she had them. With Pierre.

They contined chatting, the children playing at their feet, until the sun began to set.

"Bedtime, children," Anna announced when the light in the room was glowing orange. The children whined, but minded their mother. Kristoff took Birgitta in his arms as Anna took Inge in hers. Elsa kissed each family member good-bye and walked out of her sister's apartments.

She made her way slowly to her own apartments, enjoying the chill of an autumn evening against stone walls. She passed no one but servants, too busy bustling about to say anything more than "Your Majesty" and give a small bow or curtsy before going along again.

Finally, Elsa made it back to her apartments. She walked through her receiving room, past the couches in her sitting room, into her bedroom. It was minimally decorated. Soft blue curtains surrounded her large bed, which was dressed with the same shade of blue dyed on to the sheets. No tapestries, few candles. She was used to the dark, and felt darkness belonged in a bedroom.

She gazed over at her bed, dressed down and ready for her. But she decided she wasn't tired yet. She brought a large, fat candle over to her desk and began work on her speech to announce her engagement to the people of Arendelle. She worked well into the night. When she was done, the candle was close to dousing its own self. But she blew it out just before it could, and gazed out at the window. In the moonlight, she watched the frost of the oncoming winter bloom on the glass of the windows.

Then she blinked.

No, she was just tired.

But she could have sworn...

She shook her head. She was far too tired. There was no way the frost was forming a snowman just like Olaf. She stood up and changed into her nightgown and cap. Before going to bed, she looked back over at the window that had the frost that looked like Olaf. There was was, the image of Olaf, very distinct against the glass. She blinked. No.

Then something more incredible happened. The frost came off of the window. It floated gently toward her, the image of Olaf coming apart until the frost was now long tendrils reaching toward her. She took a step back, tripping against the bed and falling on her bum on the mattress. The frost tendrils stopped, and began to form another image. A heart with a rose at its base. She tilted her head at it, and there it stayed. Finally, it the frost dispersed, and Elsa was left feeling like she was going crazy. With a shake of her head, she laid down and crawled under the bed sheets. In the morning, she would have to announce her engagement to her good friend, Pierre.


	2. Chapter 2

Jack frowned as he stared at Elsa's sleeping form. He knew he should be happy for her. Knew he never had a chance. They didn't even know about his legend up here. How could they believe in something they've never heard of? How could he possibly prove himself real to her if she doesn't even know about him? He sighed and floated down to the ground. Why couldn't be happy for the girl that he watched grow up getting engaged?

"Jack?" Jack blinked and looked up and around. Beside him floated none other than Tooth, the only being in the world that knew how special Elsa was to him.

"Tooth," Jack greeted her. "What are you doing here?"

"Little Gustav lost a tooth," Tooth said, holding up a small, little baby tooth.

"Oh," he said with a nod.

"What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"C'mon, Jack, you can't fool me. Something's wrong."

Jack sighed. "Elsa," he said. Tooth frowned. "She just got engaged today."

Tooth gasped. "Oh, Jack! But that's so exciting! Except...you love her, don't you?"

"Do I?"

Tooth grinned at him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Yes, I think you do."

Jack shook his head. "Well, it doesn't matter," he said. "She doesn't even know I exist."

Tooth frowned. "Come," she said. "I know you have more duties tonight."

He did. There was a storm scheduled to travel through Russia. A flurry destined to fall in the Americas. Plus an unusual frost to take place in Egypt. But he didn't care about any of it. He just wanted to crawl into an icy hole and wallow in his broken heart.

When he didn't move, Tooth sighed. "I know it hurts," she said. "But you have responsibilities."

Now it was Jack's turn to sigh again. She was right. He was a Guardian and he had a job to do, even if it wasn't fighting Pitch. He nodded and flew back up into the air, following Tooth out of Arendelle.

It was the next day when Jack returned. Something about Arendelle just called to him. He could never stay away too long. Even if he knew his heart was going to break even more just looking at her. So back he went, and he found Gustav and Birgitta playing in the snow with some village children. they had found a hill and was using one of the large serving plates from the palace to slide down it. He laughed at the sight. The cook was undoubtedly going to be furious. He looked around. The older royals and Inge couldn't be found. Instead, the children were being watched by the guards. He couldn't help himself, he had to find her. So he searched the castle.

In the back of the castle, a servant opened a window to toss out some dirty mopping water. He flew in before she closed it. He grinned at her though she couldn't see him, and went walking along the hallway. He willingly left snowy footprints on the rugs to annoy the servants who will blame the children. He searched everywhere, but couldn't find her. He did find Anna feeding Inge in the nusery. He blushed and ran out of the room, embarassed by accidentally invading the princess' privacy.

He also found Moniseur and Madame Deprez sitting with Kristoff in Anna's sitting room. The French nobles had been left behind to teach Elsa and her family the ways of the French court. That way, they could impress everyone in court instead of confirming their beliefs of them being "savage."

"I really don't think this is necessary," Kristoff complained, slouching on the couch, his elbows on his knees.

"You must understand," M. Deprez said. "The French court does not think very highly of your people. We must impress them with your civility."

"You don't think we're civilized?"

"Not as civilized at the French court."

Kristoff's forehead wrinkled in anger. "You think you're so much better than we are, don't you?"

"Come now," Madame DePrez said. "We don't think so. But everyone else in court... Well..."

Kristoff sighed. "Well that's their problem."

"The King and Queen would like to know their son is going to a good home," M. Deprez said. "Now, we must practice."

Kristoff sighed again. "All right," he said. He sat up straight and took a tiny teacup into his large, rough hands. As they practiced proper tea-drinking (insert Jack's laughter), they also practiced small talk. Talk of the weather and such. That was when Madame DePrez decided to ask something.

"Kristoff," she said. "I know Anna is nursing, but where is her sister, Queen Elsa?"

Kristoff blinked. "You don't know?" he asked. "Every Wednesday she goes up to her ice castle."

That's where she was! Jack didn't wait any longer, he raced out of the room, blew open a window, and flew straight for the ice castle.

\----  
Pitch chuckled to himself as Pierre, fourth son of the King of France, laid himself down in the shade of the tree. Didn't the prince know that whenever he went down to sleep during the day, Pitch had full reign of his dreams? And he knew just what to make his nightmare about today.

He sound out his nightmare tendrils, the black mist making its way easily toward the prince. They milked their way into his head, suffocating his brain and taking complete control.

Elsa. The beautiful young Queen he was going to marry. She was all dressed up in a beautiful wedding gown with shimmering sleeves and the veil over her face. She was walking down the aisle. But...not towards him. There was another man standing at the alter. He had white hair and blue eyes. The face of a child. His heart sank. Elsa walked toward him, took his hand. She let him lift her veil. They kissed. His heart broke. Not his Elsa! Not his beloved! Who was this man that was leading her back down the aisle? Why was he stealing his Elsa?

Pierre gasped and opened his eyes, waking up. What a nightmare! Why would he have one like that? Could it be a message? Was someone wooing his beloved Elsa while he was away?

"Jabot!" he called to his manservant.

"Yes, Your Highness?" the man answered, rushing to his side. "We're almost ready to go."

"No," the prince said. "You and I are going back to Arendelle. The court can come to me instead of with me. I must return to my Queen."

The manservant blinked. "As you wish, Your Highness," he replied anyway, and went to make the preparations.

Pitch grinned. His revenge was working perfectly.


	3. Chapter 3

Elsa stared out at the world as she stood on her balcony, dressed in her blue dress and translucent cape as she always was when she went to her ice castle. Every summer the castle partially melted, and every year when the weather turned cold enough, she built it back up. She loved being up here. Up here, she could be her whole self. She didn't have to be Queen Elsa, either. She could just be Elsa and her magic. She sighed and turned, heading back inside.

Then she turned back around. She could have sworn she had felt someone tap her shoulder. She shook her head. That was ridiculous. It was nearly impossible to sneak up on somebody in an ice castle. And no one else was there. Even now as she looked, the space was empty. She shook her head and turned back around again, heading inside once more.

Once inside, she blinked. She had seen...light. There, again. She looked down at the floor. The designs she had made in the ice were moving. Suddenly, there was an image there. An image of a boy with a long staff. He was facing the adjacent wall so she was looking at his profile. The boy knelt down and bowed his head. Elsa closed her eyes and shook her head. She called upon her magic and brushed the image away. She was going crazy.

She almost ran down the stairs, through the halls, on her way out of the castle. She needed help. But who could help her?

Oh, of course! The trolls! She would go straight to them. Ask them what her visions meant. Now she did run down the staircase, through the snow, toward the trolls' home.  
\------------------------------------------------  
"Forgive me, Your Highness," Jabot said as he and the Prince stood at the bow of the ship, "but why are you   
and I returning to Arendelle?"

"I had a dream," Pierre said. The waves of the lake splashed rhythmically against the ship's wooden sides. The wind blew through the men's hair, making it hard to communicate. The two were practically shouting to each other.

"A dream?"

"Elsa was wedding someone else. I can't let that happen."

"Forgive me, Your Highness, but...a dream? I highly doubt your dream will come true. It is obvious of the Queen's love for you."

"Nontheless," Pierre said stubbornly, "I'd rather be with her."

Jabot muffled a sigh. "Yes, Your Highness," he said. He began to worry about his Prince. This was far out of the young man's character. Perhaps his ever meeting Queen Elsa had been a bad idea.  
\-----------------------------------------------------

"Your Queen is very beautiful, is she not, Prince Kristoff?" M. Deprez asked before taking a sip of his tea.

"Yes, she is," Kristoff said.

"One would think she would have many suitors," Madame Deprez noted.

"No one wants to weather the winters up here," Kristoff said with a chuckle.

"Indeed. I have heard they are rather harsh."

"You get used to it."

"And how coincidental is it that the Queen's magic is winter-related?" M. Deprez said.

"Very, I guess," Kristoff replied with a shrug.

"That was a rhetorical question, Your Highness," M. Deprez said. "You need not answer, merely agree."

"Oh."

"I daresay one would think the Queen Arendelle's very own Jack Frost," Madame Deprez said with a giggle.

"Yes!" M. Deprez agreed with a laugh.

"Jack Frost?" Kristoff asked. "What in the world is a Jack Frost?"

"You don't know?" Madame Deprez asked.

"No. Why don't you tell me?"

"Patience, Your Highness," M. Deprez said. "One must always be calm and patient.

Kristoff gave the offending man a dirty look, but remained quiet, waiting for Madame Deprez to explain herself.

"It is a child's legend," Madame Deprez said. "Jack Frost is the spirit that brings winter to the Earth. He controls the snow and ice, much like your Queen does."

"Oh. But he's not real?" Kristoff asked.

"Oh, Your Highness, of course not. We just like to joke with the children that he will be nipping at their noses if they don't dress properly for the weather."

"That's a strange legend," Kristoff said.

"There are many things stranger in this world of ours, real and unreal, Your Highness," M. Deprez said. Kristoff nodded.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Hello?" Elsa called to the unresponsive rocks. "Oh, please. I need your help." Silence. "You don't understand. I think I may be going mad." Stillness. "The frost, and the ice. They're forming images. I'm not the one making the images, though. At least, I think I'm not. Please, you must help me." But there was no response. The Queen let out a sigh. Why would they not help her? The trolls were wise and powerful, they had to know how to. Dejected, she left the grove of rocks, making her way back to the castle.

Once home, Elsa was greeted by two very excited little, royal children. Birgitta and Gustav ran to her and hugged her knees, begging her to make a snowman with them.

"Wouldn't you rather go find Olaf and play with him?" Elsa asked with a chuckle, hugging them back.

"We wanna make Olaf a wife!" Birgitta said. "They'll get married just like you!"

Elsa chuckled again. "Oh, will they?" she asked. "Then I guess we better get working on her. Here," she made a snowball in her hand, "start with this."

Once the children were happily preoccupied making the snow-woman, Elsa escaped to the castle. She made her way to Anna's sitting room, where she found the Deprez's, Anna, and Kristoff holding Inge as everyone was finishing his/her tea.

"Your Highness," Madame Deprez greeted her, standing and giving a curtsy. Her husband followed, giving the Queen a bow. "A pleasure to have you join us. Shall we have another pot of tea put on?"

"No, no, don't worry about it," Elsa said, waving her hand dismissively. "I do not need any tea."

"Then, I hope you'll excuse us. We have business we must attend to."

Elsa gave a nod and the two French courtiers bowed and curtsied one more time before leaving the room. Elsa sat where they had been, grinning at her sister and brother-in-law.

There was silence for a few minutes. The adults just looking at each other. It wasn't until the sound of the door in the recieving room closing that they all burst out laughing.

"Their customs are so strange," Anna said.

"Yes, they are," Elsa agreed.

"You wouldn't believe what they had me doing," Kristoff complained. "Sipping tea and talking about children's stories."

"Children's stories?" Elsa asked with a chuckle.

"Yes. Their children believe there's a spirit that brings on the cold weather like you do. They call him 'Jack Frost'." He chuckled.

"Jack Frost?" Elsa asked. "He has powers like mine?"

Kristoff blinked at the Queen's seriousness. "Yes," he said. "But...he's a legend. He's not real, Elsa."

Elsa grinned. "Of course not," she said. But something deep inside her made her think. Maybe, just maybe...


End file.
